Unit 46A (Agua Dulce, Growler and Childs Mountains, Cabeza Prieta)
Arizona Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep
GMU 46A is the Cabeza Prieta country of Pima County — the Agua Dulce, Growler, Childs and Granite Mountains, most of it inside the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the Barry M. Goldwater Range south of Ajo. Rams taken here have scored 145 to 180 and above, and the sheep carry a local reputation for red-stained horns and heavy mass. Conditions are extremely primitive: four-wheel drive is required on the refuge, most of it is managed as wilderness, and a Barry M. Goldwater Range permit is needed for access because of military overflights. The agency's own summary of the hunt is that it isn't for the meek or the weak.
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Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit 46A
GMU 46A is the Cabeza Prieta country of Pima County — the Agua Dulce, Growler, Childs and Granite Mountains, most of it inside the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and the Barry M. Goldwater Range south of Ajo. Rams taken here have scored 145 to 180 and above, and the sheep carry a local reputation for red-stained horns and heavy mass. Conditions are extremely primitive: four-wheel drive is required on the refuge, most of it is managed as wilderness, and a Barry M. Goldwater Range permit is needed for access because of military overflights. The agency's own summary of the hunt is that it isn't for the meek or the weak.
Where the rams are in 46A: the Agua Dulces, Growlers, Childs and Granite Mountains
Desert bighorn are found throughout four ranges in 46A: the Agua Dulce Mountains, the Growlers, the Childs and the Granite Mountains. Rams harvested here have scored from 145 to over 180, and they're known for red-stained horns as well as horn size.
The ranges, with elevations
Growler Peak tops the unit at 3,013 feet, with Childs Mountain at 2,852, the Agua Dulce Mountains at 2,763, Scarface Mountain at 2,474, the Granite Mountains at 2,346, the Chico Shunie Hills at 2,121, Sheep Peak at 2,110 and the Growler Mountains at 2,073. These are small, steep desert ranges rising out of very low ground — the valleys sit near 1,000 feet.
Don't ignore the small hills
This is the most actionable line in the guide. Mature rams are known to roam in small bachelor groups or alone, so as your hunt approaches, do not overlook the small hills adjacent to a big mountain. Temporal Pass at 1,974 feet, Copper Canyon at 1,729, Agua Dulce Pass at 1,639, Charlie Bell Pass at 1,455 and Cholla Pass at 1,060 are the low crossings between ranges — exactly the kind of ground a solitary ram uses and hunters drive past.
September rams are not December rams
Worth internalising: the rams you watch in September will not necessarily be there in December. Late August into September is the rut and the best time to see several rams in a small area, which makes it the best scouting window — but it isn't a map of where they'll be when your season opens.
The refuge, and the permits
Contact the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge at 1611 N. Second Avenue, Ajo, AZ 85321, on 520-387-6483; Ajo is 40 miles south of Gila Bend on State Route 85. They'll send a welcome packet with the refuge rules. Four-wheel drive is required, the refuge is primarily wilderness, and a Barry M. Goldwater Range permit is required for access because of military overflights.
Water, and what there isn't
Nine tanks and a single spring on our layer across 626 square miles. El Camino del Diablo is the one graded road through this country, and its name is not decoration. Carry everything you'll drink.
Unit 46A terrain and land status
Measured from the unit boundary, not from the agency write-up
The lay of it
- 732–2,138 ft on a terrain sample , averaging 1,177 ft ; peaks can run higher.
- 626.5 sq mi inside the boundary.
Who owns the ground
- Private / Other — 100%
Roughly 0% is public. Carry a land-status layer anyway — these are area percentages, not a map of where the boundaries fall.
Water on the ground
- 9 tanks
- 1 springs
- 154 stream segments
Counts from mapping data, so this is how many exist, not how many hold water in a dry year. Sitting water only pays where you find fresh tracks.
Named features inside the unit
Glass from: Growler Peak (3,013 ft), Childs Mountain (2,852 ft), Agua Dulce Mountains (2,763 ft)
Holding ground: Temporal Pass (1,974 ft), Copper Canyon (1,729 ft), Corner Well, Little Tule Well, Jacks Well
Every one of these was tested against the unit polygon before it went on the map. They are starting points, not agency recommendations.
How to hunt 46A: glass from the base, approach sideways, and stay in the lower two-thirds
Bighorn Sheep Success Rates
Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds
| Season | Tags | Applicants | Draw % | Pts (n/p) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rifle — Late Rifle Dec bull/buck only (combined pool) | 1 | 109 | 0.9% | — |
Data from 2025 draw results. Each row is one residency pool — read the label before the number. This agency publishes no point thresholds, so the Pts column stays blank and these are pool odds, not what a point total draws.
Open in Draw Odds EngineUnit Logistics & Expectations
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Unit 46A bighorn a once-in-a-lifetime tag?
How many bonus points are needed for Unit 46A bighorn?
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Upgrade to Pro — $49/yrSources & Verification
Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.
- AZGFD Desert Bighorn Sheep Management — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: Desert bighorn population status, Aravaipa transplant history, Once-in-a-lifetime tag rules · accessed 2026-04-17
- AZGFD Draw Portal — Hunt Drawing Information — Arizona Game and Fish Department · supports: 46A bighorn draw odds, Weighted bonus-point system, Historical applicant data · accessed 2026-04-17
- Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness — Bureau of Land Management · supports: Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness access rules, Permit requirements, Habitat summary · accessed 2026-04-17